Scene on the Web Weekly: May 13-19, 2013

Jonathan Hickman is added for NYCC 2013, folks get excited about Motor City Comic Con and Dallas Comic Con, some looks back at the Long Beach Comic Expo, and more.

Dark Horse Wins Four Awards at Stumptown Comics Fest 2013

Press Release:

DARK HORSE WINS FOUR STUMPTOWN AWARDS!

MAY 10, MILWAUKIE, OR—The Stumptown Comic Arts Awards were presented on April 27 at the tenth annual Stumptown Comics Fest, in Dark Horse Comics’ backyard of Portland, Oregon.

As reported via Twitter by comics’ own Jen Vaughn, Dark Horse walked away with four wins, a very impressive showing.

The nominees, chosen by a blue-ribbon panel of judges, journalists, and retailers, reflect the wide range of independent material being published in comic and graphic novel form today.

DARK HORSE STUMPTOWN 2013 AWARD WINNERS

Best Artist

Juanjo Guarnido (Blacksad: A Silent Hell)

Best Publication Design

Blacksad: A Silent Hell, designed by Cary Grazzini

Best Cartoonist

Carla Speed McNeil (Finder: Talisman)

Best Letterer

Carla Speed McNeil (Finder: Talisman)

About Stumptown Comics Fest

The Stumptown Comics Fest was started almost on a whim in 2004 by a small group of Portland-area cartoonists lamenting the lack of local convention-style outlets. While there were certainly other comic book shows in town, there weren’t any that gave much attention to the artists themselves. The dream was to design a festival with the creators as its focus, rather than dealers and work-for-hire publishers.

About Dark Horse Comics

Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists.  In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, Will Eisner, and best-selling prose author Janet Evanovich, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as the Mask, Timecop, and the Occultist. Additionally, its highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan the Barbarian, Mass Effect, Serenity, and Domo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the United States and is recognized as both an innovator in the cause of creator rights and the comics industry’s leading publisher of licensed material.

Legendary Entertainment Purchases Global Marketing Company FIVE33; Company to Help Prep for SDCC 2013

Press Release:

Legendary Entertainment Acquires Renowned Marketing Company FIVE33, Forms Full Scale Marketing and Branding Department

Burbank, CA – May 16, 2013 – Legendary Entertainment has announced an agreement to purchase FIVE33, a global marketing company that specializes in developing innovative marketing programs to bring immersive awareness of tentpole movies and intellectual properties to audiences around the world. Through this deal, FIVE33 will now work exclusively with Legendary and its high-profile stable of filmmakers and storytellers to drive awareness of the studio’s brand and suite of properties via worldwide campaigns and multi-platform strategies.  The announcement was made by Legendary President and Chief Creative Officer, Jon Jashni and FIVE33 CEO and Founder, Emily Castel.

“Legendary now has a world-class strategic marketing team and contributor who will be accretive to our ongoing effort of delivering high-quality content to audiences everywhere. FIVE33′s unique skill set and pedigree will be of enormous benefit to Legendary as we deliver the full potential of our brand experience and IP slate,” said Jashni. “Emily and her team have an innate understanding of Legendary’s brand, and as part of the executive marketing team, they will cultivate what the Legendary entertainment promise means to today’s consumer across multiple platforms and experiences.”

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to become part of Legendary’s team, and to extend its product into immersive multi-platform universes,” said Castel. “We look forward to extending the lifespan in the market for Legendary properties, and maintaining the integrity, creative vision and consistency of all satellite products.”

With offices in Los Angeles and London, FIVE33 will offer a turn-key strategic marketing and development department that develops programs and experiences for Legendary’s IP. The company will join forces immediately with Legendary showcasing its work at the upcoming Comic-Con International in San Diego.

FIVE33 was founded in 2007 and has designed highly successful multi-platform campaigns for global entertainment Studios including Disney, Universal and Paramount. Their most recent projects include OBLIVION and STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS. The team is currently at work with Legendary for the studio’s upcoming PACIFIC RIM and GODZILLA properties. Through the deal with Legendary, FIVE33 will become fully integrated into the studio and focus solely on Legendary properties.

Head Smash Graphic Novel to Get a Sneak Peak at Motor City Comic Con, Debut at SDCC 2013

Press Release:

Head Smash is coming to Detroit

The Biggest Graphic Novel release of 2013 will make a stop in Detroit May 17 – 19

NEW YORK, May 16, 2013  – The Vladar Company is coming to Detroit’s Motor City Comic Con to promote the highly anticipated graphic novel HEAD SMASH, created by Vlad Yudin . Head Smash is slated for a July 31st release and is already being called – “The biggest graphic novel release of 2013.” The cover is created by a renowned comics artist and illustrator Tim Bradstreet (BLADE, THE PUNISHER, TRUE BLOOD). As the winner of multiple Eisner awards for Best Cover Artist, Bradstreet has created over 70 classic covers, including the 2006 Iron Maiden album cover ”A Matter of Life and Death.”

In collaboration with Arcana Comics, HEAD SMASH is a sci-fi, thriller, action story set in a fantasy filled, lurid city of Ares and centers on an orphan named ‘Smash’ who finds a safe haven with a brutal syndicate – The Horde. The thrilling graphic novel shares the ultimate story of betrayal, love, and loyalty.

Detroit Fans will be treated to an exclusive sneak peak of HEAD SMASH at this year’s Motor City Comic Con on May 17th – 19th at Suburban Collection Showplace.
Vlad Yudin and his partner Edwin Mejia will be present at the venue and host a panel on Saturday at 3pm. The final debut of the novel will be at this year’s San Diego Comic Con International 2013 (July 17-21).

About The Vladar Company:
Yudin, who founded The Vladar Company in 2008 along with partner Edwin Mejia , directed, produced and penned the script for LAST DAY OF SUMMER (2009), starring DJ Qualls (Hustle & Flow) and actress Nikki Reed (Twilight). The Vladar Company is a premiere media and entertainment company, that caters to the market’s growing need for entertainment content across multiple platforms and focuses on developing, financing and packaging a library of intellectual properties with its producing partners at leading Hollywood production studios. The company is becoming a leading producer of many genres and multiple mediums in domestic and international markets (www.VLADAR.com).

About Arcana
Arcana, founded by Sean Patrick O’Reilly in 2004, owns one of the world’s largest libraries of graphic novels and comics, with over 200 original intellectual properties, 300 graphic novels, thousands of comic issues and an ever-growing character list. Arcana has begun to adapt this library into live action feature films, animated features and episodic television series. Taking a transmedia approach to brand building and the development of intellectual properties, Arcana publishes graphic novels for North America in print, and now digitally as well. Arcana has been published and distributed in dozens different countries and translated into just as many languages across the globe.

Fans Have a Chance to Win a “BIG BANGtastic” Trip to SDCC 2013

Press Release:

THE BIG BANG THEORY BOLDLY GOES WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE WITH LIMITED EDITION CO-BRANDED THE BIG BANG THEORY/STAR TREK™ AND THE BIG BANG THEORY/DC COMICS MERCHANDISE

SUPPORTING THE NEW COLLECTIONS, WARNER BROS. TEAMS UP WITH HOT TOPIC TO OFFER THE BIG BANG THEORY ULTIMATE FAN GIVEAWAY IN THEIR SECOND ANNUAL COMIC-CON SWEEPSTAKES

Fans Will Have a Chance to Win a “BIG BANGtastic” Trip to Comic-Con International: San Diego And Other Great Prizes, Including $500 Gift Cards from Hot Topic

Burbank, Calif. (May 14, 2013) – In a bold twist to bring The Big Bang Theory to a new frontier, Warner Bros. and CBS Consumer Products are launching an exclusive, limited edition co-branded collection of The Big Bang Theory/Star Trek merchandise for the first-time ever that includes Leonard, Sheldon, Howard and Raj’s preferred version of “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard Spock” themed product, as well as t-shirts and Funko bobble-heads featuring characters in Starfleet uniforms. This new co-branded collection of merchandise will be available only at Hot Topic stores nationwide and HotTopic.com from now until July. Hot Topic will also be the exclusive home to a new, limited edition The Big Bang Theory/DC Comics t-shirt, featuring Leonard, Sheldon, Howard and Raj in their favorite DC Comics Super Hero costumes.

In support of these exciting new collections, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution have teamed up with Hot Topic to celebrate The Big Bang Theory airing 5 Nights a Week (check www.BigBangWeeknights.com for local listings) in off-network syndication. The partnership offers a second annual sweepstakes inviting fans to enter the “Ultimate Fan Giveaway” for an opportunity to attend the biggest pop culture convention in the world – the legendary Comic-Con in San Diego. Fans will also have the chance to win many great prizes, including the special edition DC Comics t-shirt and $500 Hot Topic gift cards. This year’s partnership is offering an even bigger bang with a larger collection of exclusive Big Bang merchandise at Hot Topic locations nationwide.

From Monday, May 20, through Friday, May 31, avid fans and pop culture junkies can enter the contest either by watching The Big Bang Theory every weeknight in syndication (in select markets) and identifying Sheldon’s special Hot Topic t-shirt online at www.BigBangContest.com or by visiting any Hot Topic store nationwide now through Sunday,
June 2, signing up to be a HT+1 rewards member and purchasing any The Big Bang Theory t-shirt, including the exclusive “Big Bang DC Comics” Comic-Con edition t-shirt only at Hot Topic. One lucky fan will receive an all-expenses paid, fun-filled getaway for two to Comic-Con in San Diego, CA – including two tickets to Comic-Con, round-trip airfare, three days/two nights hotel accommodations, ground transportation and special access to various events at the Warner Bros. booth.

“We’re excited to pay-it-forward to The Big Bang Theory’s legions of fans in this perfect alliance that brings together this pop-cult favorite with the iconic brands of Star Trek and DC Comics,” said Karen McTier, Executive Vice President, Domestic Licensing and Worldwide Marketing for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “We had such a great fan reaction and experience with this promotion last year that we’re excited to team up with Hot Topic again to bring fans a bigger bang offering and more chances to win another out-of-this-world opportunity.”

“We are thrilled to renew our partnership with Warner Bros. on such an exciting merchandise program,” said Cindy Levitt, VP and General Merchandise Manager at Hot Topic. “We feel like we’ve created the perfect geek storm by combining The Big Bang Theory, Star Trek, DC Comics, Comic-Con and Hot Topic in this program and promotion, and we couldn’t be happier that we can make it happen for our customers.”

“We approach each and every initiative we endeavor from the perspective of giving back to the fans,” said Lisa Gregorian, Chief Marketing Officer, Warner Bros. Television Group. ”We know that fans of The Big Bang Theory and fans of Star Trek are going to go mad for this co-branded merchandise. We set out to deliver a truly unique co-branded opportunity and are thrilled to have gone where no man – or woman – has gone before.”

As part of the promotion, Hot Topic stores will also feature an exciting array of merchandise from The Big Bang Theory spanning apparel, accessories, gift and novelties, and toys, including Funko bobbleheads of fan-favorites Leonard, Sheldon and Howard in Starfleet uniforms.

The more viewers tune in to The Big Bang Theory 5 Nights a Week on broadcast television (check www.BigBangWeeknights.com for local listings) and go to a Hot Topic retail store, the more chances they have to win.

In addition to the trip to Comic-Con, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution and Hot Topic are offering viewers in 47 markets the opportunity to also win local prize packages that include $500 gift cards from Hot Topic. Markets include:

WPCH – ATLANTA, GA
KTBC – AUSTIN, TX
KBAK – BAKERSFIELD, CA
WUTB – BALTIMORE, MD
WTTO – BIRMINGHAM, AL
WCCB – CHARLOTTE, NC
WFLD – CHICAGO, IL
WSTR – CINCINNATI, OH
WACH – COLUMBIA, SC
KDFW – DALLAS, TX
KDVR – DENVER, CO
WKBD – DETROIT, MI
KFOX – EL PASO, TX
KMPH – FRESNO, CA
WWMT – GRAND RAPIDS, MI
WXLV – GREENSBORO, NC
WHNS – GREENVILLE, SC
WTIC – HARTFORD, CT
KHON – HONOLULU, HI
WTTV – INDIANAPOLIS, IN
WJXT – JACKSONVILLE, FL
WBXX – KNOXVILLE, TN
KVMY – LAS VEGAS, NV
KTTV – LOS ANGELES, CA
WBFS – MIAMI, FL
WDJT – MILWAUKEE, WI
WFTC – MINNEAPOLIS, MN
WNAB – NASHVILLE, TN
WTVZ – NORFOLK, VA
KOKH – OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
WOFL – ORLANDO, FL
WPHL – PHILADELPHIA, PA
KUTP – PHOENIX, AZ
WPGH – PITTSBURGH, PA
WPFO – PORTLAND, ME
WSJP – PUERTO RICO
WLFL – RALEIGH, NC
WFXR – ROANOKE, VA
KABB – SAN ANTONIO, TX
KICU – SAN FRANCISCO, CA
KCPQ – SEATTLE, WA
WCWW – SOUTH BEND, IN
KPLR – ST. LOUIS, MO
WMOR – TAMPA, FL
KQCW – TULSA, OK
WTTG – WASHINGTON, DC

About THE BIG BANG THEORY: Comedy has Expanded to 5 Nights a Week (check www.BigBangWeeknights.com for local listings)! The Big Bang Theory is the story of two brainy best friends who could tell you anything you want to know about quantum physics – but when it comes to dealing with everyday life here on Earth, they’re lost in the cosmos. Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) are brilliant physicists – wizards in the laboratory, but socially inept outside of it. Enter their beautiful, free-spirited neighbor, Penny (Kaley Cuoco), who aims to teach them a thing or two about life. While Leonard spends his days looking for love, Sheldon is quite content video-chatting with platonic partner Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) or playing Star Trek 3D chess with their ever-expanding universe of friends, including fellow Caltech scientists Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), and Howard’s new wife, the adorable microbiologist Bernadette (Melissa Rauch). www.BigBangWeeknights.com

Created by Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men) and Bill Prady (Dharma & Greg), who also serve as executive producers along with showrunner Steven Molaro (The Class), The Big Bang Theory stars Emmy® and Golden Globe nominee Johnny Galecki (Roseanne), Emmy® and Golden Globe winner Jim Parsons (The Muppet Movie), Kaley Cuoco (Hop), Simon Helberg (A Serious Man), Kunal Nayyar (Ice Age: Continental Drift), Mayim Bialik (Blossom) and Melissa Rauch (True Blood). The Emmy®-nominated series is from Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television.

THE BIG BANG THEORY and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and ©Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
(s12)

About STAR TREK: With an over 45-year history and more than 700 hours of content from six television series and twelve movies, Star Trek is an entertainment and pop culture icon across the world. With its visionary philosophy and thrill for adventure, the Star Trek universe only continues to broaden into new territories. Star Trek is licensed by CBS Consumer Products.

™ & ©2013 CBS Studios Inc. STAR TREK and related marks are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

About Hot Topic
Hot Topic is a mall- and web-based specialty retailer beloved by rebellious and expressive teens for more than 20 years. Hot Topic offers music and pop culture junkies band-related apparel and accessories, licensed merchandise, and fashion apparel and accessories. Hot Topic operates 621 stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico and an online store at hottopic.com. Find Hot Topic on Twitter (twitter.com/hottopic), Facebook (facebook.com/hottopic), YouTube (youtube.com/hottopic) and Instagram (instagram.com/hottopic).

About CBS Consumer Products
CBS Consumer Products manages worldwide licensing and merchandising for a diverse slate of television brands and series from CBS, CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Distribution, as well as from the company’s extensive library of titles, Showtime and CBS Films. Additionally, the group oversees online sales of programming merchandise. For more information, visit www.cbsconsumerproducts.com.

Scene on the Web Weekly: May 6-12, 2013

MegaCon 2014 makes their first guest announcements, Geoff Johns hints at SDCC media announcements for DC, and Free Comic Book Day reports come in. All that and more in this week’s Scene on the Web!

Scene on the Web Weekly: May 6-12, 2013

Storified by Convention Scene· Thu, May 09 2013 06:56:48

With Just Days to Go, Long Beach Comic Expo 2013 Still Adding Guests

Scheduled for Saturday, May 11, the Long Beach Comic Expo has announced the following new guests:

• Joe Benitez – Lady Mechanika, Soulfire, Detective Comics, Supergirl, JLA, The Darkness, The Magdalena
• Brian Buccellato – Screenwriter currently co-writing The Flash, colorist on The Flash and Superman relaunch
• Keu Cha – Witchblade, Rising Stars, Hex: The Lost Tribe
• Trent Kaniuga – Twilight Monk, Creed, Ghost Rider, Video Game Artist

For the complete guest list and more information, visit their website.

Steam Engines of Oz Kickstarter Incentives Include an Afternoon in the Arcana Booth at SDCC 2013

Press Release:

THE STEAM ENGINES OF OZ Roll Through Kickstarter

Arcana Studio suspends successful ongoing series to distribute next arc in “The Steam Engines of Oz” through Kickstarter.

(Los Angeles, California  May 6, 2013)  Arcana Studio has launched a revolutionary new campaign through KickStarter, the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects. The Vancouver-based studio is actually suspending its traditional distribution of the title, despite its very successful pre-orders and its incredibly well-received Free Comic Book Day performance, to distribute the next arc through Kickstarter instead.

“After witnessing for myself the huge number of people who turned out on Free Comic Book Day for our project,” says Arcana founder Sean Patrick O’Reilly, “we realized that there was a strong desire for this project, even more than our already great pre-orders had indicated, so we immediately rethought how we were going to get it into people’s hands.  Kickstarter seemed to be the perfect outlet for that.”

Created by O’Reilly (“Clockwork Girl”, “Pixies”) and Erik W Hendrix (“Deadly Harvest”, “The Evil Tree”), with art from Yannis Roumboulias (“Deadly Harvest”) and colors from Chandran (“Intrinsic”), “The Steam Engines of Oz” follows young Victoria Wright, who works beneath the Emerald City, making sure the vast machines below the city keep running. She finds out, however, that her actions, which seem so small, actually have much larger implications.  Along the way, we find out what happened to some of the beloved characters from “The Wizard of Oz” and other stories set in the Land of Oz, as well as meeting new characters.

“We’re crafting the story in such a way that fans of the issues will receive the Kickstarter novel and continue their journey or new fans can jump on directly with the Kickstarter content,” says co-creator Hendrix.  “Seeing how excited people were for our book on Free Comic Book Day, SteamPunk events, and other, traditionally non-comic locations, we knew there had to be a different way to get our book out there to people who already knew about it, and others who just don’t have access to a local store.”

The story that begins in the Free Comic Book Day issue will continue through the already solicited issues 1-3, but then the journey will pick up in the Kickstarter Original Graphic Novel, available exclusively first to those who support and back the project through Arcana’s Kickstarter campaign.

O’Reilly and Hendrix reach out to fans of comic books, steam punk or the wonderful world of Oz, “We could have easily continued this in a more traditional way in print, because the sales were certainly there to justify it, but we wanted to really do it in a new and exciting way, a way that allows us to place it directly in the hands of the people who want it most.”
Arcana is offering a wide variety of awards to backers ranging from digital downloads of the comic to original art from the artist or even space at the Arcana booth at San Diego Comic Con.   Please visit http://kck.st/17HUzbK for all the details and to support Arcana’s efforts and to learn more about Arcana Studio, like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ArcanaStudios.

About Arcana – Arcana owns one of the world’s largest libraries of graphic novels and comics, with over 250 original intellectual properties, hundreds of graphic novels and a treasure trove of thousands of characters. Arcana’s high quality branded entertainment is filled with characters and stories that transcend gender age, cultural and geographic boundaries.  Arcana is also producing feature films such as The Clockwork Girl and Pixies and episodic television series including Kagagi: The Raven. Taking a transmedia approach to brand building and intellectual properties, Arcana’s stories can live successfully on traditional and new media platforms. Arcana Studio Inc. remains independent of major entertainment studio affiliation.  For more information, please visit www.arcana.com.

Mike Zeck to Appear at Wizard World New York City Experience in June 2013

Press Release:

Mike Zeck to Appear at “Wizard New York Experience” in June!

Michael J. Zeck, renowned comic book illustrator and storyteller, is making a rare convention appearance at Wizard World NYC Experience.

A heavy-hitter in the comics industry, and influencing generations of artists, one would have to argue which of Mike’s series has been the most influential, or which is embossed most deeply in our pop culture:

Zeck’s epic six part story “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” with J.M. Dematteis and Bob McLeod, springs immediately to mind. This groundbreaking series took the Spider-man character to a whole new level, and has been touted by readers as the “Greatest Spider-man story of all time,” in recent polls.

Considered one of “the” Punisher artists, Zeck’s work with writer Steven Grant on the character–collected as “Circle of Blood”–sets the standard for the look and feel of the Punisher and propelled him to flagship character status at Marvel. In fact, along with air-brush artist Phil Zimmelman, Mike has created some of the most recognizable painted images of the Punisher ever made;

The Limited Series “Secret Wars,” set the comic book readership on their ears, and brought a new black-and-white costume design for Spider-man (designed by Zeck) which is still recognizable and indelible to this day. Spider-man wore the costume temporarily, and it still lives on in the form of the super-villain, Venom.

In short, when you stop and think of the t-shirts sporting Zeck images, the homages to his covers, the lineage of his storytelling, you need a long sheet of paper to start writing them down.

Michael J. Zeck it seems, always knew he would work in the arts. Born in Pennsylvania and growing up in South Florida, he later attended the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida, his eye always on working in the sequential art field. He began that career at Charlton Comics with their animation-related line of comics leading to horror titles, later moving on to Marvel Comics. Some of his first work at Marvel included “Master of Kung Fu” and “Captain America,” with many more titles, at numerous companies, to follow from there.

Zeck’s work has graced the pages and covers of “Aquaman,” “Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight,” “Green Lantern,” “G.I. Joe,” “G.I. Joe: Special Missions,” “Lobo,” “Deathstroke The Terminator,” “The Eliminator” and too many titles to mention here.

As part of the VIP package at the NYC Experience to commemorate this rare appearance, Zeck will be promoting his creator-owned project “Damned” (with writer Steven Grant), with a limited edition poster. A new collected edition of the series “Damned” will be published by BOOM! Studios this fall.

For more information on this appearance and Michael J. Zeck contact Eva Ink Artist Group at: evaink@aol.com

Archaia to Offer Limited Editions of Rubicon at SDCC 2013 and NYCC 2013

Press Release:

ARCHAIA AND METEOR ANNOUNCE ‘RUBICON’ ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL

Akira Kurosawa’s ‘The Seven Samurai’ is reimagined through the lens of the Afghanistan War in this timely story featuring Navy SEAL operators

Los Angeles, CA (April 16, 2013) – Award-winning comic and game publishers Archaia Entertainment and Meteor Entertainment are proud to announce Rubicon, a hardcover, original graphic novel that reimagines one of the greatest movie epics of all time: The Seven Samurai. Developed as an homage to Akira Kurosawa’s peerless masterpiece, Rubicon is the story of a paramilitary SEAL team who defend a remote mountain farming village in Afghanistan from the torment of marauding Taliban. Rubicon blends timely themes of fate, hope, and courage with relentless action into a triumphant tale of honor won with loyalty and death. This powerfully realized book is written by New York Times best-selling graphic novel author and Meteor Entertainment (HAWKEN) president Mark Long (The Silence of Our Friends), from an idea by Oscar®-winning writer/director Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects), and from a story by SEAL Team VI and Red Cell veteran, Dan Capel. It is masterfully composed and illustrated by newcomer Mario Stilla, whose art projects kinetic force and intense emotion. In addition, the book features a Foreword by New York Times best-selling author and the original Commanding Officer of Seal Team VI, Richard Marcinko (Rogue Warrior).

“Rubicon is a project of pure passion by the four of us—from Chris’ brilliant idea to approach the Afghan war from a character-driven classic, to Dan’s invaluable insights into the emotions and ethos of tier-one operators, and to Mario’s classically rendered, Kurosawa-esque frames,” described Long. “For me, Rubicon mixes two great passions: to become an uncompromising art-house publisher of free-to-play games and transmedia; and to personally contribute creatively to that goal.”

“We are excited about this timely and relevant story about a mission that could have happened—and maybe did,” related Archaia President & COO Jack Cummins. “This book will appeal to fans of Zero Dark Thirty, The Hurt Locker, military gamers, military buffs, past and current members of the military, as well as the public interested in a behind-the-scenes look at how our front-line troops live and die together on behalf of others.”

The Rubicon hardcover graphic novel will also come packed with a pouch envelope containing exclusive artifacts and creative collateral from the world of Rubicon, including a reproduction of the tactical map the team uses, commendations and citations, and private correspondence.

“We weren’t interested in merely spouting generic stats and glossary terms,” explained Joe LeFavi of Quixotic Transmedia, who facilitated the Rubicon deal for Archaia and served as executive editor on the book. “We wanted to dig through the pockets of the soldiers right there in the action, so that you could better understand and appreciate their motivations from a unique and personal place.”

A very special, slipcased limited edition is available for purchase only on Archaia’s webstore (store.archaia.com) and Meteor’s HAWKEN website (playhawken.com/#universe), where collectors receive an additional $10 in Meteor Credits with purchase.

Limited editions will also be available at the Archaia booth at Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif. (July 10-14) and New York Comic Con in New York, N.Y. (October 10-13), while supplies last.

Rubicon ($24.95, hardcover, 128 pages, full color, 6.625” x 10.25”) is available for pre-order now at your local comic book shop. To pre-order, provide your retailer with this Diamond Order Code: APR130799. To find your closest comic book shop, visit www.comicshoplocator.com. It is also available for pre-order through the Archaia webstore (store.archaia.com) and wherever books are sold (ISBN: 978-1-936393-97-8).

Archaia and Meteor previously collaborated on the original graphic novel HAWKEN: GENESIS, which is based on Meteor’s free-to-play, online video game, HAWKEN. It is available now in comic book shops and wherever books are sold.

About Archaia Entertainment, LLC

Archaia is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 75 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Rust, Cow Boy, Cursed Pirate Girl, Gunnerkrigg Court, and Artesia. Archaia has also published an entire line of graphic novels in partnership with The Jim Henson Company, including the multiple award-winning Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand and such beloved tales as The Dark Crystal, The Storyteller, and Fraggle Rock. Alongside these celebrated titles, Archaia has released English translations of numerous renowned foreign titles to much fanfare, including The Killer, Sergio Toppi’s Sharaz-De, and The Secret History.

In 2012, Archaia was honored with six Harvey Award nominations, two Harvey Awards, six Eisner nominations, and three Eisner Awards (Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand won for Best Graphic Album–New, Best Penciller/Inker, and Best Publication Design). Also in 2012, Archaia earned both Gold and Silver awards from ForeWord Reviews. Archaia was honored with nine 2011 Eisner Awards nominations and two Eisner Awards for Best Graphic Album and Best Anthology.

In addition to its partnership with The Jim Henson Company, Archaia has forged creative partnerships with storytellers in all facets of the entertainment industry, resulting in print and digital expansions of such noted properties as Bleedout and HAWKEN (video games), Immortals and Planet of the Apes (film), and Space: 1999 (television).

Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation within the creator community for producing meaningful, transformative content, building one of the industry’s most visually stunning and eclectic slates of graphic novels.

About Meteor Entertainment™
Based in Seattle, Meteor Entertainment is focused on successfully publishing free-to-play games globally, with an emphasis on compelling content and setting the standard for customer service and community engagement. Meteor Entertainment’s first title, HAWKEN, was developed by Adhesive Games. Download HAWKEN and play it for free at www.playhawken.com.

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